They knew better than to get any closer than thirty yards,
even though Nana's aim was poor and most of the rocks landed well short of their targets.
Nana yelled at the boys as she carried bags of rice inside, and called them names Mariam didn't understand.
She cursed their mothers, made hateful faces at them.
The boys never returned the insults. Mariam felt sorry for the boys.
How tired their arms and legs must be, she thought pityingly, pushing that heavy load.
She wished she were allowed to offer them water. But she said nothing, and if they waved at her she didn't wave back.
Once, to please Nana, Mariam even yelled at Muhsin, told him he had a mouth shaped like a lizard's ass
and was consumed later with guilt, shame, and fear that they would tell Jalil.
Nana, though, laughed so hard, her rotting front tooth in full display, that Mariam thought she would lapse into one of her fits.
She looked at Mariam when she was done and said, “You're a good daughter.”
When the barrow was empty, the boys scuffled back and pushed it away.
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